Butte County agriculture reported $702.7 million production value in 2025, tell me about this news in (https://krcrtv.com/news/local/butte-county-agriculture-reported-7027-million-production-value-in-2025)

According to the report, Butte County’s agricultural industry reached a total gross production value of $702,732,779 (approximately $702.7 million) in 2025. This marks a substantial increase of about $113.7 million compared to the 2024 production value of roughly $589.1 million.

Key highlights from the report include:

• Top Drivers of Growth: The county’s top three commoditiesEnglish walnuts, rice, and almondsaccounted for approximately 84% of the total production value increase. The growth was largely driven by higher yields, expanded planted acreage, and better market prices per ton.

• English Walnuts: Retained the number-one spot as Butte County’s most valuable agricultural commodity, bringing in $178 million. The rise was led primarily by stronger yields, which averaged over 2 tons per acre.

• Rice: Ranked second with a total value of $164 million. This surge was spurred by a significant expansion in acreageroughly 27,000 more acres were planted compared to 2024alongside slight gains in price.

• Almonds: Came in third, climbing to $144.7 million (up from about $122.6 million in 2024), largely propelled by higher per-ton prices.

• Prunes: Held the fourth position, remaining relatively stable at around $34.7 million.

Agricultural Commissioner Katharine Quist noted that these results underscore the resilience and productivity of local growers and ranchers, even as they continue to manage elevated operational costs and market pressures. The report also highlights agriculture’s broader economic footprint in the region, where roughly one in seven local jobs is connected to the agricultural sector.

(Note: These figures reflect estimated gross production values and do not account for production, labor, or marketing expenses, so they do not represent net profits for growers.)